Paulette Randall says: “We knew straightaway that we were never going to cast an actual bunch of 12-year-old schoolgirls to portray the play’s army of smart, brave and hilarious characters. So why even try with a bunch of sort-of lookalikes? Instead, we’ve thrown the rulebook out the window, casting a brilliant bunch of talented and diverse actors who, gloriously, tick none of the boxes. Not being bound by age and race has been such a freeing experience, and the results are hugely exciting. Our only criteria were: Are they smart? Are they brave? And – most importantly – are they hilarious? It’s all about creating a modern Daisy for a modern London crowd.”

Daisy Meredith, the energetic new girl from an underprivileged background, is the first scholarship student to attend Grangewood School for Girls. Faced with prejudice and pranks from the wealthier schoolgirls, Daisy also discovers her new school is faced with financial closure. Having won over a zany group of chums, Daisy concocts a wizard plan to save the school with the discovery of a secret treasure.

Daisy Pulls It Off won the 1983 Olivier Award for Best Comedy and ran for 3 years, launching the careers of actresses like Samantha Bond and Gabrielle Glaister.

Anna Shaffer recently filmed Fearless (produced by Mammoth for ITV), and Lovesick for Netflix. Other recent credits include the role of Poppy in I Live With Models (produced by Rough Cut for Comedy Central) and the role of Rachel in the BBC’s Doctor Who spin-off Class. Anna had a regular role in Hollyoaks and played Romilda Vane in the Harry Potter film series.

Pauline McLynn’s television credits include: EastEnders (BBC), Father Figure (BBC), Threesome (Comedy Central), Shameless (Channel 4), The Bleak Old Shop of Stuff (BBC) Pramface (BBC), Jam and Jerusalem (BBC), Bremner, Bird and Fortune (Channel 4), High Hopes (BBC), French and Saunders (BBC), TV To Go (BBC) and The Dark Ages (ITV). She is well known for her award-winning role as Mrs Doyle in Father Ted (Hatrick/ Channel 4). Her theatre credits include Happy Days (Sheffield Crucible), The Taming of the Shrew (Smock Alley Theatre), Playboy of the Western World (Donmar Warehouse), Cymbeline and The Knight of the Burning Pestle (The Globe Theatre) and East is East (Ambassadors Theatre).

Libby Watson trained at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and Wimbledon School of Art. Her design credits include: The Philanthropist (Trafalgar Studios), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (New Wolsey Theatre), Godiva Rocks (Belgrade Theatre), Sweet Charity (Wolsey Theatre), Rudy’s Rare Records (Birmingham Rep and Hackney Empire), Frankie and Johnny (Chichester Festival Theatre), History Boys (UK tour), What’s in the Cat and Blest Be the Tie (Royal Court). Libby also designed The Mountaintop at Trafalgar Studios, which was the winner of the 2011 Olivier Award for Best Play.

Paulette Randall is a freelance theatre director and producer. Her most recent theatre credits include; Five Guys Named Moe (Underbelly and Cameron Mackintosh), The Disappearance of Dorothy Lawrence (Vital Exposure), Obama-ology (RADA), Play Mas (Orange Tree Theatre), Frankie and Johnny in the Clair De Lune (Chichester Festival Theatre), and Rudy’s Rare Records – starring Lenny Henry (Birmingham Rep and Hackney Empire). Her TV credits include River City, Holby City, The Real McCoy (BBC Two), Desmond’s, Porkpie, C4, The Crouches, Comin Atcha, CITV and Kerching! (CBBC). Paulette was also the Associate Director of the London Olympics Opening Ceremony in 2012.